Ohio St holds off Michigan State, 17-16

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Braxton Miller threw for 179 yards and ran for 130, and No. 14 Ohio State held off No. 20 Michigan State 17-16 on Saturday, giving Urban Meyer a win in his first Big Ten game as Buckeyes coach.

Miller put Ohio State (5-0, 1-0) ahead 17-13 with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith in the third quarter, and the Buckeyes’ maligned defense held Le’Veon Bell and the Michigan State running game in check. Meyer becomes the third coach to start 5-0 in his first season at Ohio State. Carol Widdoes and Earle Bruce also did it in 1944 and 1979.

Michigan State (3-2, 0-1) has lost four home games in a row against Ohio State.